Laughing Dragon
by The.Dragon.Singer
Summary: "Harry! It's Krum!" Fred peered over the heads of his fellow Gryffindors at the famous Seeker, and he frowned as Harry voiced his thoughts. "Who's the girl next to him?"
1. Sorting

Senna Street was as amazing as Lily had heard about. It was open and airy, letting the chilled summer air from the mountains on the horizon into the wizard town in the heart of Sofia, Bulgaria. It was a thriving town, even with the Muggles so close, and most of it was located in a large magically enforced underground market place.

It was here that Lily would gather the books, robes, and equipment she need to attend Durmstrang. That, and a wand. Her grey eyes were focused on the wand shop located at the end of the street, but her view was lost when a hand caught her arm and dragged her into the robe shop, Grantz Robes.

Lily pouted, glancing up at the person holding her arm. It was her brother, Viktor; tall, dark, and goofy.

"I was looking at Catelli's Wands."

"Lily, ve're next in line." Viktor sighed, running hand through his dark wavy hair, a slight frown on his face.

"I'm well aware of that, Captain Obvious." She snorted, lifting her nose in the air before grinning at her brother. "Why are you so nervous?"

"Because now I have to defend you! And you might not get my House!" Viktor slung an arm around her shoulders, moving towards the tall blond male waiting for them.

"Welcome to Grantz Robes. Is this your first time here?" He asked, smiling, although his smile did not reach his brown eyes. A pair of square glasses was perched on his pointed nose, and his lips were a thin line.

"This is my sister's first time. My second." Viktor had to look up at the man.

"I never would have though you were siblings. Name?"

"Krum."

"Take a seat over there." The blond waved towards a line of comfy looking seats against the wall behind the desk. "One of the employees will be with you in a moment."

It was true that Viktor and Lily looked nothing alike, save their strong aura. Viktor was tall, with large shoulders for a twelve year old, and black eyes. His hair was a very dark brown, and his facial structure was quiet sturdy. He gave off a sense of protection, like a big cuddly bear that could turn on you in the briefest moment.

Lily, on the other hand, was trim with no figure yet. Her shoulder-length hair was black, and kept in two pigtails on the sides of her head. Her eyes were a stormy grey, her cheekbones high, her nose slanted, and her mouth usually was quirked in a mischievous smirk. Lily gave off an air of causal elegance.

The reason for this, was their fathers. Viktor and Lily did not share the same father, but Lily did not know who her father was, nor could care less, at her age of eleven.

"Krum, this way." A large woman appeared, leading them to a curtained off room to the side. There was another person within the stall area.

"Viktor, hey!" The boy grinned, shaking the mop of shaggy blond hair from his face. "You getting your new uniform?"

"Yes. And my sister's." Viktor helped Lily onto one of the stools.

"You have a sister?"

"Lilyana Kira Krum." Lily offered her hand to the blond boy with the cheeky grin. "Pleased ta metcha!"

"Jose Piran Volkov, at your service." The blond boy manged a bow, and shook her hand. The two Durmstrang students shared smiles, one new and one already having weathered a year at the strict academy. "Which House do you want to get in?"

"Mine." Viktor crossed his arms, holding still as the woman measured him. "She wants to get into Ehrenadler. Go Eagles!"

"Hah! Of course. But I was asking Anna!" Lily blinked her grey eyes, and took the bundle of clothing presented to her by the employee.

"There you go dear. Three new uniforms and two vinter cloaks. I'll send your brother and his friend out when I'm done vith them."

The two females glanced at the two arguing twelve-year-olds, before laughing.

* * *

_**Before the Durmstrang Train**_

_**Platform 13 1/8**_

_**July 31, 1989**_

"You have your books? And your uniform? And your cloaks? Don't forget to write." The blond woman fussed over her two children, who stood waiting calmly by the black train waiting to take them to Durmstrang. "Oh, look! Antoni made it! ANTONI!"

"Hey, kiddo!" The stocky, dark featured man grinned down at his step-daughter. "I'm sorry I wasn't available vhen you got back from Senna Street. Vhat's your vand?"

"Ten-and-a-half inches of ash, with a dragon heart-string core!" Lily exclaimed, pulling it out of her pocket to show to her father figure.

"Beautiful! Just like you!" He whistled, twirling the smooth wand in his fingers. "Mine's only six inches."

"Oooh~!" The blond woman -Mum or Alexassandra- twisted her fingers together. "The train's going to leave any second! Quick! Get on! Love you!"

Viktor and Lily were pushed onto the train without a second thought, waving as they found a bench to sit in. The train ride would not last long, just long enough to get to a rather rocky area in Germany.

Once there, Viktor explained, they would be sent into a cave where they would slide down a large metal pole into a boat, which would take them along a glacier river to the school entrance. Durmstrang itself was four-stories tall, located underground in an ginormous cavern. Shafts of sunlight filtered down from the surface, and the Quidditch pitch was located on a large grassy area in a sinkhole.

Durmstrang was located in a large range of mountains, so the chances of finding the Institute, even without the many charms and spells protecting it was rather low.

Students milled around in their uniforms; high-necked, blood-red, long-sleeved shirts that fell neatly over a pair of form-fitting black pants, which in turn tucked into brown boots. A cape of darker red, and trimmed with fur sat on the male students' shoulders, and wrapped around half of the female students' waist.

The uniforms were all the same, but the stripes on the side of the uniform pants were different and the crests on the right breast were different; some green, some brown, some yellow, and some orange. There were some uniforms with no colours yet, and this was the group of First Years, Lily among them.

* * *

**_Durmstrang Institute _**

**_September 1, 1989_**

The Great Hall was large, set with four large tables that spanned the room, and a dais at the front where the teachers sat.

Lily could see all of this from her spot in the line of First Years if she leaned to the side. The Professor supervising them was Professor Galen Platt, a beanpole of a man with a very large moustache and the odour of mouldy cheese. He was the head of Elchemut, the House represented by an elk.

As the First Years filed into the Great Hall, a quivering bass rang through the enormous room. The Durmstrang students fell quiet, shifting on their benches, arms folded on the table, and then turned their faces to the long silver sword hovering in the center of the dais.

_Around, all around, the shadows gather._

_Haunted tunnels and bleeding rocks._

_Durmstrang welcomes you,_

_To it's dark halls._

_Where shall my Blade put you,_

_Which House is yours?_

_Dracheseith, the Dragon Torch, where your strength beats strong. _

_Where green is your scales, and gold is your wealth?_

_Katzenaugen, the Cat's Eyes, where the sly hide in shadows._

_Where yellow is your eyes, and black is your fur?_

_Elchemut, the Elk of Courage, where the courageous smile._

_Where orange and black are your colours?_

_Ehrenalder, the Eagle of Honour, where the pure fly._

_Where brown are your feathers and bronze are your talons?_

_I am the Sorting Sword; sharp, smart and true._

_I'll bleed you, then Sort you..._

_So, step up if your will!_

"Adels, Will."

And so began the sorting.

By the time "Krum, Lilyana." was called, the poor girl was eying the Sorting Sword with distaste. It hummed as she stepped closer and lifted her arm.

The magical item flashed through the air, and a cut appeared on her forearm, stretching from elbow to wrist. As the Sword turned in it's place, savoring the taste, trying to determine where Lily was to be sorted, the girl watched as the cut on her arm healed.

It was quick and it tingled a little, leaving behind a raised ridge that would stay for years to come.

"_Where to put you? Where to put you? Little Lilyana Krum...You belong in-"_

"DRACHESEITH!"

Lily glanced at her brother, sitting among the Ehrenalders, and smiled before heading to the mostly male House. The raven-haired eleven-year-old received many pats on the back, grins, and she watched the rest of the Sorting with little interest.

"Hi, I'm Ivanka!" A mocha hand appeared in Lily's sight. "Nice to have you here!"

"Uh, hi?" Lily shook Ivanka's hand and studied the girl.

She had mocha skin, with big hazel eyes and a curly black afro, which was tamed slightly with a green scarf. Her blood-red Durmstrang uniform had a dragon crest sewn onto the right breast, and if Lily was to look under the table, the stripes on her pants would be green as well.

"I'm Lily." She managed, smiling slightly.

"Your hair is so pretty! And I love the ponytails. Don't you agree, Filip?" Ivanka grinned at the boy with his arm around her waist.

"Sure." Filip managed with a smile, focused on the bronze plate before. His brown hair was tied back in a ponytail.

"I thought I heard your name before? Are you related to anyone here?" The boy with shaggy brown hair on Ivanka's other side asked, blushing slightly as their attention shifted to him.

"Yeah!" Lily grinned, and glanced over her shoulder. "My brother is Viktor Krum! He's in Ehrenalder."

"Oh. I think I had detention with him before a Quidditch match." The boy nodded slowly.

"You're on the Quidditch team!? I can't wait to try out!" Lily leaned forward, the grin not leaving her face.

"Yeah, so is Filip." Lily turned her attention to Ivanka and Filip. "He's one of our Chasers. Damn good at it, too."

"The other two Chasers are Nighthex Herczerg, in Sixth Year, and Liza Papp, in Fifth Year. Nighthex is the Captain too. The Beaters are Iriney, next to Ivanka, and Kateryna Becke, who's dating Vilen Magnussen. He's the Seeker."

The Headmaster clapped his hands.

"_Lily." _He said, emotionless eyes focusing on her. The entire Institute turned their eyes on her.

"_LILY!"_

She flinched back, eyes darting other the Dining Hall.

* * *

"_LILYANA KIRA KRUM! WAKE YOUR ASS UP UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE LATE!"_

Lily tumbled to the floor of her dorm room, breathing heavily with her blankets wrapped around her legs.

"Morning, Teagan."

The dark-skinned teen huffed, prodding Lily's arm with her shoe.

"Lazy ass. Get dressed."

"Why?" Lily blinked up at the girl in her year, yawning loudly and flashing her white teeth.

"_Breakfast_, idiot! Hurry up!" Teagan growled, moving to the side as Lily scrambled from the floor and into the bathroom. "Seriously, this is her Sixth Year. One would think she'd be able to get up for breakfast. But noooo, she has to sleep like the dead. Not cool."

* * *

**Hey, what's up? **

**Welcome to Laughing Dragon.**

**Reviews would make my days, constructive criticism is appreciated.**

**Question of the Day:** _What's your favorite spell and why?_

**Dumb Question: **_If corn oil is made from corn, what is baby oil made of?_


	2. School Days

Lily grinned as she stuffed her face with bacon, watching the Headmaster as he stood slowly at his spot at the High Table in the Great Hall.

The Durmstrang students fell quiet, and all eyes were on the old, but certainly not frail, man.

"Welcome to another year at Durmstrang. For the First Years here," Karkaroff fixed his cold eyes on any and all of the young kids. "If you do not follow the rules, you will be _severely_ punished. Simply ask your fellow students."

There were several shouts of agreement from all the tables, before Karkaroff's hand snapped up. The Great Hall fell silent once more.

"For those of you joining Durmstrang again, greetings. Sharp Caves are still banned, the lake is also banned during the winter seasons, and Quidditch has been cancelled this year."

Lily's jaw dropped and the girl who'd woken her up rolled her eyes, leaning into her current boyfriend.

"Instead," A smirk flickered across the Headmaster's face. "The Seventh Years and some of the Sixth Years will be journeying to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for most of the year, starting in late September. One _lucky _member of Durmstrang will be chosen as champion in this year's Tri-Wizard Tournament."

"Didn't someone die last time?" Teagan hissed, delicately taking a sip of her strawberry juice. Lily shrugged, excitement flickering through her grey eyes and she grinned.

"This is so _cool!_" Lily bounced in her seat, bed-head hair bouncing as she chewed more bacon.

"You're going to get fat." Teagan sneered, lifting her nose in the air. She was quite the snobby brat. Teagan meant well, she really did, but she'd taken it upon herself to get every single girl out of their dorms in time for breakfast, and had dubbed herself the best of all of the six in the dorm; Lily, herself, Lucy, Marlene, Vanessa, and Gretel.

"Uh-huh. Sure." Lily nodded, not paying attention to her fellow Dracheseith.

"Sixth Years will be chosen based on their academic records throughout their previous Five Years, and the few weeks we will spend here. Your Head of House will hand out schedules and you may leave."

* * *

As Lily rushed to her Transfiguration class, she ran into her brother, who instead of a goofy twelve-and-a-half year old, was a dark-and-mysterious-highly-famous-all-the-rage Seeker who played on the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team.

Lily often followed the team around during the summer, keeping her brother company.

"Vhere are you going in such a hurry?" Viktor lifted one of his eyebrows.

"Transfiguration! I'm going with you to Hogwarts!" Lily grinned, hugging her brother and smoothing out his uniform shirt, because it was wrinkled. He'd get detention, Seeker Extraordinary or not, if it was wrinkled.

"No, Anna." Viktor frowned. "I vill not let my baby sister come to such a place."

"Sorry, but you're not getting your say in this. You've gotta have your number one fan there, Vik. And if you don't get chosen for Champion, somebody is going to have to keep you entertained."

"Hurry to Transfiguration then. You do not want to be late!" The Bulgarian Seeker stepped aside, and watched his sister run down the hall and vanish into one of the classrooms lining the castle hallways.

"Morning, Professor Shapiro!"

"Oh my! G-goodness, L-lily! You s-startled me." The scrawny woman at the front of the class placed a hand on her nearly flat chest and tucked some of her blond hair behind her ear. Karen Shapiro was a quiet, incredibly shy, woman with almost no temper and excellent teaching methods. "Have a seat. W-we're starting on a brief unit on A-animagi and Patronus'?"

"Really!? I always thought it'd be cool to turn into an animal." Lily wandered to her seat in the back of the room in the corner, where she could lean her chair back and not get in trouble. Several other Dracheseith's meandered in, along with some Elchemut students. A loud gong reverberated throughout the school and the last straggling students rushed in to take seats.

"G-good morning, class!" Shapiro managed a weak smile as she perched on the edge of her desk. "P-please open your pages t-to the book...I m-mean, open your b-book to the p-pages on A-animagi. Can anyone tell me w-what an Animagi is?"

One of the Elchemut student's hands shot up, waving back and forth in the air.

"Yes, M-mister Chang." Chang pushed up his blue-rimmed glasses and straightened.

"Animagi, plural for Animagus. It is the word _animal _combined with the Latin word _magus_, meaning wizard. Put together it means animal wizard. An Animagus is a wizard, or witch, who can turn their selves into an animal, usually reflecting their inner personality. According to Wizard's Ordinary Magic and Basic Aptitude Test, or WOMBAT, and Animagus transformation is either a Self-Transfiguration, or a Self-Charm. Or a kind of magic that is neither Transfiguration or Charm."

Chang continued on, getting into his rant with waving arms and clawed fingers. "Only _very _powerful and skilled wizards and witches can be Animagi. The process is really long and arduous, and it has the potential to backfire and cause the transformation to go terribly wrong. Once the training is over, an Animagus can change at will, any time, with or without his or her wand."

"Animagi can only take the form of one _specific _animal. It's not chosen by the Animagi."

"Y-yes, Mister Chang." Shapiro nodded, her mouse-like features tight. Even she hated it when the know-it-all ranted, and she was a teacher. "Can someone tell me how Animagi and Patronus' relate?"

Lily lazily lifted her hand, and grinned when Shapiro nodded at her. "Animagi and Patronus' are usually the same, right? They're usually the same animal."

"Yes!" Shapiro nodded vigorously. "Has anyone produced a full Patronus?"

Not a single Sixth Year put up their hands. "Well, your job today in class is to transfigure three mice into different miniature animals. All three of which you must think fit your personality. An e-essay on Animagi and what you think you would be is due tomorrow. M-minimum length is...two feet."

Several groans rang through the room as mice were passed out.

* * *

Lily strode past the Great Hall, ducking down into one of the many shortcuts she knew around the Durmstrang castle. It was filled with small cobwebs, but this shortcut took her to the Potions classroom, which was the Sixth Year's next class.

The Professor was a heavy-set, always happy, man with a long white beard he kept braided and tossed over his shoulder. Norman Cochran always wore a set of dark grey robes, but his beard was braided with a different ribbon every day of the week, and his boots were always the same colour. Cochran was Elchemut's Head of House.

That class was spent taking notes, and they were given no homework.

Lily's next class was Charms, another class she was good at, taught by Professor Kalev Sommer. He was very young, perhaps twenty-six, with short brown hair and twinkling violet eyes. Kalev had a wonderful sense of humour, and was the object of many of the female Durmstrang students' affection.

Personally, Lily didn't care. He had a boyfriend in a nearby German village, and they visited every weekend. Kalev was Dracheseith's Head of House.

Defence Against the Dark Arts was a little class with only ten people, Lily included. It was taught by Ethelinda Alfs, who insisted that all the students call her Linda, because Professor Alfs made her feel old, even though she was probably eighty.

Dark Arts was a widely taken class. It was taught by Elpidius Church, a never-seen-shampoo-before man with blond dreads and black skin. He'd been taught at an African Dark Arts school, and had been sought out just for him to teach. He was cruel, merciless, and never gave homework. The students were told a spell, were partnered with another student, and were told to attack each other. He was also the Head of House to Katzenaugen.

Nobody had died yet, but there'd been many cases where younger students, and some older, were sent to the Infirmary. The Infirmary was stocked with at least five Healers.

Care of Magical Creatures was another class not taken often, but it was taught by Professor Hannelle Bumgarner, a stocky, buff woman with a black buzz cut and tiny black eyes. She was rough, but was a generally nice person.

Herbology was taught by Galen Platt, the Ehrenadler Head of House. He was strict, and loved his plants to bits, especially the dangerous ones.

Lily was well rounded in her courses though, and she didn't see the need to take Divination, or Astronomy, or Ancient Runes, or Muggle Studies, but Music was interesting and it was taught by Lyrical Luigi, one of the resident ghosts.

He didn't have a solid form, and he often possessed the lyre or harp at the front of the class room.

When Lily didn't have classes or homework, she was usually playing some prank on someone, or was out at Quidditch practice.

Such was the school days of Lilyana Krum...until, of course, the lucky Sixth Years were chosen to go to Hogwarts...

* * *

**Reviews are welcome.  
**

**Question of the Day:** _From the descriptions of the professors, which one do you like the most?_

**Dumb Question:** _If you got in a cab and the driver drove backwards, would he end up owing you money?_


	3. Guardian

Lily was hunched over a book on Animagi transformations when Karkaroff's voice blasted in icy tones through the four story sprawling castle. She jumped, grey eyes wide before gathering her books.

"Sixth and Seventh Years," The Headmaster drawled. "Report to the Great Hall."

The sixteen year old grinned, grabbing her books and stuffing them into her shoulder bag. Her feet propelled her towards the Great Hall, where she slid to a stop and fell onto the benches set out for her House. She was one of the first students there, save for Chang and a few teachers. The Headmaster was also there, seated at his usual spot before a crystal cauldron filled with swirling purple liquid.

Lily shuddered. The cauldron, though pretty, brought back bad memories of her Fourth Year. During a duelling lesson, one of the Katzenaugen boy's spell missed his opponent and shattered the crystal cauldron. He'd blamed it on Lily, who had pranked him earlier in the week.

It had taken Lily a week and a half to repair the shattered cauldron, with no magic. She hated that cauldron.

As the Great Hall finished filling, Karkaroff waved his hand and the large doors slammed shut. The man tugged the curl on the end of his beard as he stared down at them, before his face lifted in a grin that didn't meet his frozen eyes.

"As September draws to a close," He began. "And our trip to Hogwarts looms closer, the Sixth Years accompanying our troupe of Seventh Years must be picked. We will travel by boat, the Guardian, and there will be two students per room upon our vessel. There is no room for argument."

"Sixth Years were chosen on their overall marks previous years, and recommendations from their peers." Karkaroff folded his arms over his chest. "Sixth Years travelling to Hogwarts are Tú Chang, Dario Travis, Christianne Pawlitzki, and Lily Krum. The rest of your will stay here and your grades had better improve before we return."

Outwardly, Lily was grinning. Inside, she was celebratory dancing to loud music. A sudden touch on her arm had her staring at her brother, and he gestured with his head towards Karkaroff who was waiting impatiently.

"Sorry, Headmaster, sir." Lily's grin fell slightly as she stood in front of the stern wizard. "Vhatever it was I didn't do it."

Karkaroff gave the female Krum a hard stare. "You and Viktor will be sharing a room aboard the Guardian. As my star students, you will accompany me into the school and set a standard for the rest of our travelling students."

And then he swept himself away through the grand doors of the Great Hall.

"I'm a star student?" Lily and Viktor shared bewildered looks. "I mean, I know I got seven Outstandings on my OWLS, and eight Outstanding on my NEWTS...But seriously? I'm probably the vorst star student there is."

"You are a Krum. It is a name to flaunt, according to Headmaster Karkaroff." Viktor shrugged, crossing his arms. "He vill make more of an entrance to the other two schools if he has both of us on his arm."

"I'd imagine so. But nobody really knows vho I am." Lily snorted, tossing the tight black braid hanging over the front of her uniform to the back. She followed Viktor out of the hall.

"You vould be surprised, Lily." Viktor chuckled. "Dimitrov was talking about making you back-up Seeker next year. He was over-heard by a reporter at the World Cup Finals."

"Really?"

"Yes, but I am not supposed to tell you. So do not mention it." Viktor shook his head, a smirk on his lips. "Ve are leaving tonight at sundown. You should pack."

"Right-o, Vicky!"

"Please do not call me that."

* * *

The tangerine light that spilled from the openings of cervices, hidden from Durmstrang's sight, cast flickering pictures across the cream stone surrounding the Institute. Looming rocks cast deep shadows over Guardian, the wizard ship built in the late eighteen twenties.

A steady line of tall teenagers strode up the boarding plank, each hovering a heavy oak truck with their name on it. A professor stood on the deck, directing the students left and right to the rooms below deck. The flag at the top of the main mast, emblazoned with the Durmstrang crest, snapped against the howling fall wind roaring through the caverns.

Teagan stood with Lily, arms crossed over her military-style uniform, a scowl on the Sixth Year's face. The bossy teenager, watched the students file on, and she turned to Lily.

"I expect you to be up for breakfast. Everyday. And brush your hair. You're representing us Durmstrang girls. And spot out the cute boys. I want a full report on what is going on at the Tri-Wizard Tournement. And I want-"

"Teagan," Lily frowned, steadying her Ferruginous Hawk, Dexter. "I vill send you letters every month if you shut up."

Teagan's mouth closed in two seconds flat. Lily sighed in relief, flicked her wand, and strode towards the boat with her trunk and hawk in tow. The bossy Sixth year waved as Lily vanished below deck.

* * *

Viktor watched as his sister ripped apart a piece of steak with her teeth and fingers, too engrossed in her book to care about manners. He sighed, making Lily lifted her eyes a second before returning to her book and turning the page.

Her grey eyes flew over the pages and mashed potatoes joined the steak; eaten with a fork, not her hands.

"Velcome to Guardian." Ethelinda Alfs smiled at the eldest Durmstrang students, seated on the small table at the front of the room. "The Headmaster has retired to his quarters, and that leaves the speech about our rules to me. Rules are slightly more lax on Guardian than at our grand Institute. However, as we are travelling beneath the water, there will be no Quidditch. We vill be on Guardian for approximately a month, and lessons will continue when we arrive at Hogwarts."

"Several _lucky _students will join the classes at Hogwarts. During our time here, Karkaroff has given me the task of organizing several small events aboard the ship. Like Wizard's Chess, and an Exploding Snap contest. The library at the stern of the ship is open to all, and it contains so very..._interesting _books."

Lily's head snapped up and she stuffed her book into her bag. Viktor rolled his eyes, and sneezed.

"Bless you, Viktor." Linda chuckled. "Once all of you are finished, you may return to your rooms."

"I'm going to the library. I'll see back in our room, Vicky."

"Anna, do not call me that!" Viktor called after her.

* * *

Linda was right about the _interesting books _in the library. Lily was seated on the floor in the A section, shadowed by a small stack of books with Animagi in it. That was where she fell asleep, and that was where she woke up the next morning.

"You did not return to our room last night, little sister." Viktor fixed his sister with a serious gaze, before a sneeze killed the seriousness. Lily snickered.

"I fell asleep in the library." She shrugged, patting the bulging bag beside her.

"Vhy are you spending so much time in the library? You're never in there for when I am." Chang rudely leaned into the conversation, Asian features haughty.

"There's a reason for that, govedo." Lily scoffed, crossing her arms. "It's none of your business vhat I do in the library. But if Vicky vants to know,"

Viktor nodded.

"I'll tell him _later _when _you _are not around."

* * *

"Are you going to tell me now?" Viktor asked, staring into the dark at the roof of their room. Night had fallen the best it could under water. Lily hummed.

"I vanna be an Animagus. I'm trying to figure out how."

Viktor was silent for a few minutes, processing.

"Vicky?"

"I think you vill find a vay. You vill let me know when you accomplice your goal, da?"

"'Course Vicky! Vhat do you take me for!?"

* * *

_TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT_

_The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at 6 o'clock on Friday 30th of October. Lessons will end half an hour early. Students will return their bags and books to their dormitories and assemble in front of the castle to greet our guests before the Welcoming Feast._

* * *

When the Golden Trio went down for breakfast on the morning of the thirtieth of October, the found that the Great Hall had been decorated overnight. Enormous silk banners hung from the walls, each representing a Hogwarts House; red with a gold lion for Gryffindor, blue with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw, yellow with a black badger for Hufflepuff, and green with a silver serpent for Slytherin. Behind the teacher's table was a banner with the Hogwarts crest.

Harry, Ron and Hermione spotted Fred and George at the Gryddindor table. They were sitting apart from everyone else, and talking in low tones. Ron led the trio over.

"It's a bummer, alright." George grumbled as they strode up. "But if he won't talk to us in person, we'll have to send him the letter after all. Or we'll stuff it into his hand, he can't avoid us forever."

"Who's avoiding you?" Ron asked, sitting next to them.

"Wish you would." Fred glared, irritation rolling off him in waves.

"What's a bummer." Ron turned his attention to George.

"Having a nosy git for a like you for a brother."

"You two got any ideas on the Triwizard Tournament yet?" Harry changed the subject. "Thought any more about trying to enter?"

"I asked McGonagall how the champions are chosen but she wasn't telling." said George bitterly. "She just told me to shut up and get on with Transfiguring my raccoon."

"Wonder what the tasks will be?" Ron hummed, reaching for a piece of toast. "You know, I bet we could do them, Harry. We've done dangerous stuff before..."

"Not in front of a panel of judges, you haven't. McGonagall says the champions get awarded points according to how well they've done the tasks." Fred pointed a piece of bacon at his brother and snatched it back with a horrified look as Ron tried to take a bite. "That's my bacon!"

"Who are the judges?"

"Well, the Heads of the participating schools are always on the panel," Hermione straightened. Everyone looked at her surprised. "Because all three of them were injured during the Tournament of seventeen ninety-two, when a cockatrice the champions were supposed to be catching went on the rampage."

Hermione noticed the strange looks she was getting and rolled her eyes. "It's all in _Hogwarts: A History. _Though, of course, that book's not entirely reliable. "A _Revised _History of Hogwarts" would be a more accurate title. Or "A Highly Biased and _Selective _History of Hogwarts, Which Glosses Over the Nastier Aspects of the School"."

"_What _are you on about!?" Ron looked more confused than he did normally.

Fred and George returned to their conversation about how Bagman was ignoring them, ignored by the Golden Trio as Hermione ranted about house elves, Ron ate breakfast, and Harry zoned out.


	4. Welcome to Hogwarts

"It's nearly six." Ron checked his watch and glanced around the Hogwarts grounds again. "How do you reckon they're coming? The train?"

"I doubt it." Hermione snorted, crossing her arms.

"How, then? Boomsticks?" Harry suggested, looking at the sky.

"I don't think so….not from that far away." George laughed. "Durmstrang, so I've heard-"

"-is in Germany." Fred finished.

"A Portkey?" Ron turned his face to them. "Or they could Apparate. Maybe you're allowed to do it under seventeen wherever they come from?"

"You can't Apparate inside Hogwarts grounds. How often do I have to tell you!?" Hermione scowled.

The group of Gryffindors scanned the darkening grounds, but nothing moved. Everything was still, silent, and Harry was starting to get cold. He, and many of the Hogwarts students, wished the other two schools would hurry up.

"Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!" Dumbledore called from the back of the crowd.

"Where!?"

"_There!_"

"It's a dragon!" screeched a First Year.

"Don't be stupid! It's a flying house!"

Fred and George shared a look and focused on the shape flying over the Forbidden Forest. As it drew closer and the light from Hogwarts hit it, the shape was revealed to be a powder-blue, horse-drawn carriage the size of a large house. It was pulled by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each one was the size of an elephant.

The front three rows of students, which was a lot, drew back, effectively squishing the other students. The carriage hurtled lower, and then landed with a loud crash and pounding feet. It bounced on its spiraled gold wheels before coming to a complete halt, and the door opened, but not before displaying the coat of arms; a pair of crossed golden wands, each emitting three stars.

A boy with blond hair, dressed in pale blue robes leapt from the carriage, and fiddled with what appeared to be hidden stairs, gilded in gold. A shining, high-heeled black shoe emerged from the inside o the carriage – a shoe the size of a child's sled- followed by an enormous woman. There were several gasps.

"Bloody hell!" Fred whispered to his brother. "She's the size of _Hagrid_!"

"_Biggest_ woman I've ever seen." Lee hissed from the other side of George, who snickered, and watched the woman with interest as she approached Dumbledore and extended her hand.

"My dear Madame Maxime." Their Headmaster smiled. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Dumbly-dorr, I 'ope I find you well?" Maxime's voice was deeper than a normal women's.

"On excellent form, I thank you."

"My pupils." She waved hand to the group of silk clad, petite, teenagers gathered. Somewhere shivering, and some had wrapped scarves and shawls. "'As Karkaroff arrived yet?"

"He should be here any moment,"

"Karkaroff must be the Durmstrang Headmaster." Angelina muttered from down the line of Sixth Year Gryffindors.

"Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?" Dumbledore gestured to the grand double doors that were open to show the Entrance Hall.

"Warm up, I think. But ze 'orses-"

* * *

Water rushed around the ship as it slowed down, lake weeds rushing past the dry deck. Lily watched her brother struggle with his heavy fur cloak, before sighing and taking the chain that held it on and fixing it for him.

The other students were dressed in their uniforms, all spotless, and wearing heavy fur cloaks, save for her. Karkaroff, dressed in less bulky silver furs, was eyeing her from across the deck. He gave her a pointed look, and she lifted an eyebrow in response.

"Miss Krum," He bellowed from across the deck. "Where is your cloak?"

"I don't have one, sir. Nor do I need one." Lily responded, pushing her loose braid over her shoulder.

Karkaroff gave Lily an unreadable look. "You'll stay with Viktor, da?"

"Yes, Headmaster."

Viktor sulked, crossing his arms. His eye twitched as one of the boys dropped a large box, but the poor Seeker didn't flinch.

"How's your head, Vicky?"

"It is fine." Viktor replied, looking away.

"You want anything?" Lily crossed her own arms, flicking her eyes over the deck. "Anything at all?"

"I vould like this boat to stop moving. And some food."

"Well, both will happen soon."

* * *

"It's a mast!" Harry exclaimed to Ron and Hermione.

Slowly, magnificently, the ship rose out of the water, gleaming in the moonlight. It had a strangely skeletal look about it, as though it was a resurrected wreck, and the dim, misty lights shimmering at its portholes looked like ghostly eyes. Finally, with a great sloshing noise, the ship emerged entirely, bobbing on the turbulent water, and began to glide towards the bank. A few moments later, they heard the splash of an anchor being thrown down in the shallows, and the thud of a plank being lowered onto the bank.

People were disembarking; the Hogwarts students could see their silhouettes passing the lights in the ship's portholes. All of them seemed to be built along the lines of Crabbe and Goyle. But as they drew nearer, it became clear that the students were wearing heavy cloaks of some kind of shaggy matted fur. But the man who was leading them up to the castle was wearing furs of a different sort; sleek and silver, like his hair.

"Dumbledore!" He called as he walked up the slope. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff." Dumbledore replied.

"Dear old Hogwarts," Karkaroff smiled up at the school, but his eyes remained cold and shrewd. "How good it is to be here, how good….Viktor, come along into the warmth. You don't mind do you, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold."

It was then that Fred and George noticed the brooding teen behind the Durmstrang Headmaster and the girl without a cloak beside him.

"Harry…" Ron gasped as the two walked past. "_It's Krum!_"

"But who's the girl beside him?"

* * *

Lily stood beside the group of Durmstrang Seventh Years in the doorway to the Great Hall. The Beauxbatons students had taken up spots at the Ravenclaw table at the right side of the room. The Hogwarts students were reentering their school, and most of the girls were throwing Viktor longing looks, and glaring at her, all the while searching their robes for quills and parchment.

"_Only a Quidditch player!?_" Lily turned her grey eyes towards the indifferent shriek, which seemed to have come from a gangly redhead with a bushy haired girl and a boy with dark messy hair and glasses. "Hermione, he's one of the best Seekers in the world! I had no idea he was still in school!"

"Looks like one of your biggest fans are here, Vicky." She teased her older brother, who sighed. "Should we go sit with him?"

"Oh please, no!" Chang growled out, glaring at the Krums. "I don't want to sit at some table with British WIT's that will fawn all over you two!"

"VIT'S? What is that?" Viktor frowned.

"Wizards-in-Training. Keep up with the acronyms!"

"Will you boys stop fighting? There looks like there's enough room over there, at the table with the snake banner."

The Durmstrang students followed Viktor and Lily over to the table, and the siblings sat across from a boy with slicked back blond hair, and long pointed features.

"It's nice of you to sit at the Slytherin table." He smiled, leaning forward. "I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

"Viktor Krum." Lily chuckled as Viktor hunched over and his features darkened, before pointing to the teen at his side. "And my sister, Lily."

"So, how do you like Hogwarts so far?" Draco smiled at her. Lily scowled, grey eyes narrowing.

"I'd like it better if you didn't hit on me, because I don't know you. Besides, the chick beside you looks pretty pissed. Or is that one of your bodyguards?"

* * *

"Back to the ship then." Karkaroff fixed his eyes on Viktor and his sister. "Viktor, how are you feeling? Did you eat enough? Should I send for some mulled wine from the kitchens?"

Viktor shook his head as he pulled on his furs, and offered his arm to his sister. She grinned at him as Karkaroff scolded Poliakoff, one of the less polite boys in Durmstrang.

The Headmaster turned and led his students towards the doors, reaching them at exactly the same moment as the boy with messy hair, the shrieking redhead, and the bushy haired girl. The boy with messy hair stopped to let the Durmstrang group through.

"Thank you." And then Karkaroff froze. He turned his head to the boy with messy hair, and stared at him as though he couldn't believe his eyes. Behind Viktor and Lily, the students from Durmstrang came to a halt, and peered around each other to see why they had stopped.

"Yeah, that's Harry Potter." Said a growling voice from behind them. Professor Karkaroff spun around, staring at the ex-Auror known as Mad-Eye Moody. Lily had done a report on him in her OWL year.

"You!"

"Me," said Moody grimly. "And unless you've got anything to say to Potter, Karkaroff, you might want to move. You're blocking the doorway."

Without another word, Karkaroff swept out of the hall with his students, back towards Guardian.


End file.
